Lent Appeal: Jars of Change

Give up something and you'll give her everything

Get involved

Join Jars of Change, give up something for Lent and donate the money you save, to give clean water to communities for the very first time.

Lent is a time for giving up small luxuries in life. But imagine if you had to give up more important things – education, employment or hope for the future. All because you do not have clean water close to home.

This is the reality for 1 in 9 people around the world. Hours spent collecting water, or days wasted from ill health, means children miss out on school and parents cannot work.

For children especially, clean water can be the difference between a full education and struggling to keep up in class. The difference between enjoying a happy childhood with friends, or risking your life on long walks for water.

WaterAid/Dennis LupengaMaliya’s first job in the morning is not doing homework, playing with friends or eating breakfast. It is to pick up a bucket and head to the river to collect water, despite fears of robbers and thugs.

WaterAid/Dennis LupengaBecause of the long journey to collect water, Maliya is often so late for school, the gates are locked when she arrives. She has no choice but to turn around and head home, missing class for the day.

WaterAid/Mia ShahWith the support of WaterAid donors, Malita's community of Bwemba dug new water pipelines and built a new water kiosk. Now, Malita only has to walk five minutes to clean water.

WaterAid/Dennis LupengaAs a result, Malita's performing much better at school and has the chance to enjoy her childhood, play with friends and spend more time with her family.

This Lent by giving something up, however small, your congregation can help transform communities like Maliya’s with clean water.

See what you could save by giving up...

Giving up a chocolate bar a day could be enough money for water quality testing for two water points in two communities like Chiswe.

(A chocolate bar at 60p a day amounts to £24 over Lent)

Cups of coffee

Not buying a cup of coffee every morning could save enough money for the digging and laying of 1km of water pipes.

(A coffee at £1.80 a day amounts to £72 over Lent)

Packets of biscuits

Every packet of biscuits you don't buy could buy a new tap in Malawi. So you could provide 40 taps over the period of Lent.

(A packet of biscuits at £1 amounts to one tap)

Bags of crisps

Avoiding packets of crisps could save enough money for a hygiene promotion session in a community like Chiswe.

(A packet of crisps at £1.50 a day amounts to £60 over Lent)

Hold a Lenten concert

This Lent, we are inviting churches to organise a Lenten concert. You can even pledge to learn and perform a traditional song from Nigeria called Ise Oluwa. We've supplied the audio in every range, together with the lyrics and score, which you can download below.